Arrrrrrrrhhhhh!! Sail the Seven Seas as a Pirate while in Panama City Beach!! Have you ever met a kid who didn’t love pirates? I haven’t!! Next time you’re in Panama City Beach, become the World’s greatest parents by letting your kids become honorary pirates for the day. The “Sea Dragon” Pirate Cruise is one of Panama City Beach’s premier vacation attractions. Captain Fearless Phil and his crew of sea dogs are waiting to take the family out on their beloved vessel, The Sea Dragon. The captain will point out numerous species of birds and fish during the cruise and if you’re lucky he’ll scream out, “There she blows!” as you spot some of our playful bottled nosed dolphins. This pirate ship is an incredible replica of a genuine cargo ship from the 1700′s (and it looks awesome in person!) The Sea Dragon runs daily dolphin cruises (lasting around 2 hours) for a fair price (Adults = $27, Seniors = $23, Kids = $21), plus there’s LOTS to keep the kids entertained on-board, like kid-friendly treasure hunts, the occasional swashbuckling sword-fight, swabbing the deck, firing the “Kid cannon”, reading a treasure map, finding a sunken treasure and sharing the loot. Plus they’ll have a water gun fight, get their face painted, limbo games, have a pirate dance party and get a pirate tattoo. Every event is cleverly in sync with a mix of music that is upbeat and fun to the activities happening on the main deck. It is literally non-stop activity for the kids! Don’t worry…there’s no shortage of cocktails for mom and plenty of cold beer for dad too! So what’s the best part? Your kids will have lots of fun, AND be completely exhausted at the end of the cruise!

So, you’re on vacation at the beach and it’s raining!! You guess it’s a wash and you’ll just have stay in the condo and sleep. Not so fast!! There are still plenty of things to do that doesn’t involve shopping!!

I can think of a lot worse things than having to sit on the balcony of the condo at Ocean Villa Condo, curled up, listening to the rain and the ocean, while reading a good suspense novel or playing a game of cards or dominoes with the entire group! The balcony is 10 feet deep! That’s plenty deep enough to stay dry from the dripping at the front edge of the balcony. And…look on the bright side, you’ll be the first to know when the sun shines again!!

2. See a movie in style. The Grand Theatre at Pier Park is a state-of -the-art stadium seating movie theater located in Pier Park. There are 16 screens with reclining seats and a abundance of movie choices available. Located within Pier Park are enough eateries and retailers to combine the movie with a great meal or some shopping. Tickets are just $6.00 on Tuesdays, and any day is free refill day on a large popcorn and large soda, anytime!

3. Find the “pocket” at Rock’ It Lanes. It’s not just for bowling!! Whether the pocket is found in the bowling pins or on the felt of the pool table, this is the place to be!! Rock’ It Lanes is the only bowling center on the beach and is located just a few minutes from our Ocean Villa Condo in the Edgewater Shopping Plaza!! Bring the whole family. At 50,000 square feet, there’s plenty of room to play all day. There are 24 lanes of computerized bowling, 23 pool tables, an arcade featuring all the latest games and some old favorites, plus an 8,000 square foot roller skating rink! You don’t even have to leave to eat!! Grab lunch or dinner at the Grille, where they’re serving up a great menu including home-made burgers, made-from-scratch pizzas, chicken quesadillas and more.

4. Take in a little hands-on fact finding at local exhibits and museums! The Museum of the Man in the Sea is a little drive from Ocean Villa, about 15 minutes, and has fascinating exhibits that will introduce you to a world of underwater mysteries and diving! There on display, is the SEALAB-1, the world’s first working undersea habitat. Easy on the pocketbook, entrance to this quirky museum is less than $10!! Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum offers a totally whimsical museum experience. In addition to 15 different gallery displays of things that “have to be seen to be believed”, there is a 7-D motion theater that combines 3-D film with subtle and intense seat vibrations, bumps, dips and shakes to transport you virtually into the movie experience. Don’t miss the MirrorMaze Challenge or the LaseRace Challenge!! Right across the street is WonderWorks Museum, where you’ll be greeted by over 100 exhibits and challenges the minute you walk into the door!! Not to be missed is the Upside Down Experience, plus there is laser tag, a ropes course, a 6D motion ride and plenty of hands-on activities for all ages.

5. Last, but not least, it may be just the time for a little libation!! Two really great places to get started are within a few minutes drive from our condos at Ocean Villa!! If beer is your thing, the Fishale Taphouse and Grill Bright, is a spacious tavern with a fireplace and some 65 craft beers on tap to spend the day trying! There’s also a casual American menu offered when you’ve had enough tasting!! Up on Thomas Road, the Panama City Beach Winery sells citrus, fruit and berry wines. These aren’t just your average wines!! The flavors are endless! There’s even a tomato wine called “Hot Sun” that is a dry white wine with a hint of tomato and peppers!! Tastings are free, informative and fun! Bring along a group of people and have each person select different wines so more can be tried!! Don’t drink wine? Go anyway…you might just change your mind!!

Proving a rainy day in Panama City Beach doesn’t have to be a day stuck indoors, I hope this blog has given you some ideas on taking advantage of a perfect opportunity to enjoy a guilt-free day away from tanning – and the chance to discover some of Panama City Beach’s best indoor attractions!

Pier Park Panama City Beach is a 900,000+ square foot Florida outdoor shopping center and entertainment hub located in the heart of this beachside city. Located between Back Beach Road and Front Beach Road, it serves as the premiere Northwest Florida shopping destination. This mecca offers dining, specialty shops, attractions, events and more.

Panama City Beach is famous for fishing of all kinds – especially deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. But serious anglers also catch plenty of fish from the piers along the beach and St. Andrew Bay, or by casting a line directly from the shore. Anglers will also enjoy bay fishing, or scouting a local river or freshwater lake. Novice and experienced fishermen alike will be thrilled with the variety of fresh and saltwater fishing options available in Panama City Beach. Most professional charter fishing companies will provide a fishing license for their customers. However, visitors can also obtain a short-term fishing license, details HERE. For more information on fishing from local piers, click HERE.

If you love water sports, the big question here isn’t what to do, it’s how to fit it all in. At Panama City Beach, water sports aren’t just something to do, they’re a way of life. All the equipment, guides and lessons you need are available beachside in front of the condo.

Cruises, Boating & Fishing – The Gulf of Mexico is beautiful from the white-sand shores of Panama City Beach, but you get a totally different perspective out on the water, whether you’re fishing, zipping across the Gulf on a banana boat or just kicking back on one of our famous sunset cruises. Dolphin cruises are another great way to see Panama City Beach by water and observe dolphins in their natural habitat.

Diving & Snorkeling – Great weather, great water and an underwater landscape teeming with life make for great diving conditions. Done, done and done! Experienced divers love our reefs and wrecks, and for newcomers, snorkeling is the perfect introduction to Panama City Beach

Skimboarding – Skimboarders run towards the ocean, drop into the thin wash of retreating waves, then skim out to sea and ride the breaking waves back to shore. Our sugar-white sands and flat waters make Panama City Beach a must-skim destination.

Jet Skiing – Feel the wind in your hair and salt spray on your face as you zip across the Gulf. Personal watercraft, usually called “jet skis,” are a longtime favorite for fun in the sun at Panama City Beach, whether riding solo or on a 2- or 3-seater.

Paddle Boarding – One of the hottest newcomers to Panama City Beach water sports, paddle boarding uses big boards, letting riders stand and gently paddle their way across the water.

Kiteboarding or “kitesurfing” – This is one of nature’s most zen adventures – just you, a small board and wind to pull you along! In addition to Panama City Beach, some barrier islands like Shell Island, offer spectacular and serene riding areas.

Surfing–Part of what makes Panama City Beach water sports unique is that there are opportunities for everyone – experts and newbies alike – and surfing is one area where we’re perfect for beginners. With our white-sand beaches, mild climate and mid-sized Gulf waves, entry-level never felt so

Parasailing – Fast boats lift parachutes high in the air, and you with them. Go solo, or try our big chutes to share the experience with family and friends. Of all the beach sports you might try, this one that gives you a bird’s-eye view you’ll never forget!

From the park, you can also take a ferry trip to Shell Island, a pristine barrier island just across from the mainland. This 700-acre island is a peaceful spot for sunning or collecting shells. On Shell Island, you can find miles of beach with hardly a footprint that isn’t your own, no development, and no access other than by boat.

There’s always something for the nature lover to do in Panama City Beach, so whether you’re spending the day at St. Andrews State Park, or jumping on a sailboat to explore the Gulf of Mexico, enjoy the natural bounty of Florida in an ecologically responsible way!

St. Andrews State Park, located off Thomas Dr. three miles east of

Panama City Beaches, was named by Travel Magazine as “The World’s

Best Beach” in 1995. The 1,260-acre park is well known for its sugar white

With 5 championship golf courses (including the only Nicklaus Design course in Northwest Florida), 320 days of sunshine a year, and an average temperature of 74 degrees, it’s no wonder that Golf Digest magazine named Panama City Beach one of America’s top three golf towns. There’s plenty of variety, too! In fact, with 162-holes to play, you’d be hard pressed to squeeze all the great golf Panama City Beach offers into one vacation. Contact the golf courses directly for reservations as preferred tee times are booked quickly.

Not one but two giant mazes, a stingray petting pool, a four-story science puzzle paradise – just a fraction of attractions for kids in Panama City Beach! Fall in love with fun at Coconut Creek, mini-golf at Barnacle Bay or the charm of the of amusements along the beach. If you’re not down for go-karts and putt-putt, no worries – the beach isn’t the only all-ages game in town! Shipwreck Island Water Park has everything from the toddler-friendly Tadpole Hole to racing slides and “river” rapids, while the popular Gulf World Marine Park can fill your day with animal shows and exhibits, and even the chance to shadow the Park’s animal trainers for a day. Nature-lovers love our eco-tours and the wilderness of Camp Helen and St. Andrews state parks. Or take the family to gaze at 400+ bizarre exhibits at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium.

For the wise-in-years but young-at-heart, attractions in Panama City Beach let you swim with dolphins or launch yourself at 100 mph from a giant slingshot 300 feet in the air. And, if you’re going to stay a while, check out The Science and Discovery Center of Northwest Florida where they will educate and inspire children and adults through hands-on, interactive exhibits and programs that promote discovery of science, technology, and history.

Panama City Beach is an area rich in history. Before it was settled as a community in the 1800s, the area was home to many native Americans. Panama City Beach was created in 1953 and the City of Panama City Beach, as it currently exists, became a single chartered government in 1969 as a result of the merging of four separate cities: West Panama City Beach, Edgewater, Long Beach, and Panama City Beach. Across the “flyover”, welcome to Historic St. Andrews. For a free guided tour, visit the Publishing Museum at 1134 Beck Avenue on Wednesday or Friday at 2:30. If you are not able to make it on a Wednesday or a Friday for the guided tour, you can also enjoy a self-guided Audio Tour. The Audio Tour files are provided below for download to you smart phone or other mp3 device. Tour Guide Books are available for purchase at the Publishing Museum.